


Why Not to Cry Over Spilled Beer

by NorthwesternInsanity



Category: Cheap Trick (Band), Music RPF
Genre: Angst, Drama, Embarrassment, Gen, Humor, Reunions, crackfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-07-11 21:50:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15981224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NorthwesternInsanity/pseuds/NorthwesternInsanity
Summary: Tom Petersson's return years after his rough departure from Cheap Trick, and the thoughts between him and Rick Nielsen during the time frame.





	Why Not to Cry Over Spilled Beer

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the true story of Tom rejoining the band after Julian Lennon's birthday party, where Tom spilled a bunch of beer all over Rick. Mostly crackfic, but could be along the lines of what happened.

[1980]

**Rick Nielsen's POV:**

_What the hell is the guy thinking?_

So, yes, George Martin did take us in a vastly different direction with _All Shook Up_. But he didn't seem to have a problem with it until the final album mixing.

When he decided to stay home and not even be in the studio during the mixing process, that just pissed me off so much I saw stars. Well, I guess since people joke about how zany a personality I have, I guess I can say I was seeing more stars that I normally see. What the hell does it matter though? We had an obligation to be there in England, and instead of boarding the plane there with us, he hops on a different plane headed to his home in Los Angeles.

The hell?! Maybe his quiet, friendly attitude is just a facade he displays to us all, and he's just trying to fool everyone into not realizing that he's crazier than I am.

We grew up together. Attended concerts together. Talked about being in a band together for years, then started our own fresh out of high school -Fuse. Which dissolved and then we formed Sick Man of Europe. And with the departure of Stukey and the addition of Robin, we became Cheap Trick.

Ha! He's playing a "cheap trick" on me, isn't he? 

Claiming our music is going in a direction he doesn't like? That he's _disillusioned_ with the music industry in general? That his wife, Dagmar, who I cannot stand, wanted him to sing more on our albums when Robin is the singer fair and square -and that if he doesn't, she'll break up with him?

But he wants to go and do a solo project with that witch?! She's manipulative! She's using him, and she drove a wedge between him and our band. Our _dream_.

And he was stupid enough to fall for her tricks. To let her do it.

I don't even know why I'm wasting my stupid time harping on it. I'm better than him. Cheap Trick is better than him. We don't need him. 12 string bass players may not be the most easily accessible commodity, but we'll find someone, and it will work out.

Tom Petersson, I hear now approve your departure from this band with the big daddy salute. Both hands, middle fingers. Goodbye. 

 

**Tom Petersson's POV:**

Well, I don't know how to put it lightly, so I'll be blunt. The past few weeks have been Hell.

I really don't feel like pointing fingers at anyone. I try to be positive. I'm not the type of guy that plays the blame game.

It's really just been a conglomeration of little things on top of each other. And it's gotten too big. I had to do something.

Tell me, now: What do you do in this kind of situation?

I have a wife. I have a band. Or had, based on the decision I had to make, but look at it if I haven't made the decision yet.

The band is something that's been in my life a good while. I've had a fantastic time in it -when things were going well. We hit. We went to Japan. We had so many fans around waiting for us, and we had the best time a group could have possibly had. It's not been long, and of course it would be great if it continued, but I got a good experience with it, and if it ends now, I can't complain, because I've been fulfilled.

But now, here it is with all this tension within it and outside of it. The album is *not* hitting nearly as well as the previous ones, which was what I was afraid of. The guys -Rick, Bun E., and Robin, are mad at me because I didn't like the style that George suggested. It feels like I'm in a sinking ship.

On the other hand, my wife I recently married hasn't gotten a normal life with me due to touring, recording and all the other pressures of being in a large, touring and production band. She's expressed discontent with this. Maybe some people say that if she wasn't going to be happy with my lifestyle, then we shouldn't have married. But we did. Seems suggested we do a solo project together. Is it a good idea? I don't know.

Someone tell me: If you've got two boats at your disposal, and the one you tended to use more in the past that's more familiar to you and better known by others... If that boat starts to capsize and sink, do you stay with it? Or do you try out the other boat you have in hopes that it will float and get you to wherever you need?

Is the solo project I could consider doing with Dagmar going to be as big or popular as Cheap Trick? Hell, no! Are we going to be recognized out of this country? Probably not.

But, is there at least a chance that it will work out by giving us the opportunity to actually have a life together in marriage and still allow me to fulfill creativity through music and my happiness in doing it?

Yes.

The last few phone calls I've had with the band, trying to discuss what might happen, trying to talk out the style, have all ended in yelling matches. Most of which they won, as they were all together, and they didn't want to hear me out.

I don't want to have any more of those. Either way, I'm going to lose a big friendship I've had for years if something doesn't change soon. And if Rick's going to continue begrudging me within the band, it's only going to drag the others down. Even if I don't like where Cheap Trick's going, I want it to be successful whether I'm there or not.

I have to leave the band. There's no other plausible answer.

And I _have_ left it.

 

[1985]

**Rick Nielsen's POV:**

We just released another album. _Standing on the Edge_. It's pretty good, though not as good as _Next Position Please._ That one was better accepted by the fans, as was _One on One_ before it.

But, there is definitely a different dynamic at live shows, and the sale pattern of albums has changed in where we get majority of sales. Some of the older fans aren't as pleased.

Jon Brandt is pretty solid. Pete Comita did a solid job holding together the tour for _All Shook Up_ , but he didn't plan to be our permanent bassist -just someone to fill in until we got a permanent replacement. The fans did not like Pete at all. He wasn't very pretty in the opinion of the girls. Jon, albeit quite different from *him*, was received a lot better. The girls think he's pretty. And he doesn't make it too obvious that he's different. He doesn't draw attention to himself onstage or throw himself out there into the main shot during music videos and interviews. *He* didn't do that either, so there's no drastic change.

But, to be honest, performing onstage, it's not like before. It's not like four bandmates with solid interactions.

It's like three men and a baby.

Jon doesn't have a voice anything like *his*, so Robin now sings all the songs, including the couple of ones *he* would have sung.

Some people think "I Know What I Want" sounds better with Robin singing it -his softer, more delicate voice undertone, not as baritone.

But, it has lost a lot of it's drive at the same time. We're considering taking it off all future set lists.

And who the HELL does *he* think he is, telling us he didn't like the direction our band was going in, then leaving it, and doing this solo project that was so New Wave it didn't even resemble older Cheap Trick. Hell, Dagmar wanted him to sing more? She sang every song, so that's kind of counter-intuitive when you think about it.

Tom Petersson, you are officially nuts. You're either severely high on something, or you've hit your head, or you're just off your rocker. 

I wish there wasn't so much of a difference with Jon, so that I could say I didn't want you back in Cheap trick.

**Tom Petersson's POV:**

The solo project was fun. For a little while. It wasn't that popular, but that never mattered to me. After all, Sick Man of Europe and Fuse were barely heard of or recognized, and had Cheap Trick not formed, I'd have been happy to have still had those. They were fun and fulfilling.

I have seen what Cheap Trick's done since I left. Looks like they've gone full power pop. Definitely not my style. Glad I'm not part of that.

And that "Up A Creek" music video? What the absolute hell?! If people want to make fun of me and my own solo project, uh -have they seen that video? Might want to watch that first before judging...

I guess they're also glad I'm not part of them. They seem plenty glad to have me gone. The bass player they chose -they even make him fluff up his hair and all so that he looks a lot like me. Until he shows his face. Wonder if the fans notice or care. I don't care. As long as I'm alive and well, it's okay. It's in the past too.

Or, maybe I do care. Since it seems lately I can't stop thinking about it. And though I'm alive, things aren't exactly well on my end.

Dagmar's got some problem every day with me. I either can't do anything right, or I'm supposed to make something right and she won't give me the slightest clue what's wrong or how the heck she wants me to fix it. Tensions are on the rise in the house. We're talking less and less. She's out of the house a lot. Sometimes even all night.

I try to be optimistic about it, but I can't deny what the signs are probably pointing to. I don't want to harp on it too much or worry myself silly until I know for sure. That just makes unnecessary trouble. Makes it worse for everyone.

But I'm well aware what will happen in the end. It's coming.

Rick always did say I had a problem with women. I'm too trusting. Too optimistic with them, thinking as long as there's love that strong in the beginning that it'll stick around and last. And then I'm to altruistic toward them, and give them power over me.

Ha ha. So it seems. In this instance, at least.

Look at it this way. I won't be the only guy who's had his heart broken in this world. What guy hasn't, after all? I had it coming.

The door's opening downstairs, and Dagmar is yelling again.

Yep...

 

[1987]

 

**Rick Nielsen's POV:**

So, Robin and I have been invited to Julian Lennon's birthday party. Of course we'll go, for him. Just the sort of things that friends do.

Of course, there is one other person there, who I want nothing to do with.

Tom Petersson.

Coming out of his hidy-hole finally? Yeah, Dagmar dumped him hard. They broke up. He didn't want to talk to anyone. 

But, Robin likes to snoop, and he called Tom up a lot all of a sudden until Tom spilled his guts. 

Poor guy, wish I could feel sorry for him.

Didn't he dump Cheap Trick all the same?

I'd find him at the party and shove the whole situation in his face, just for revenge. But, that'd be acting like a drama queen. And, I've never witnessed anyone do something of the sort to him before, so I don't know how he'd react. Heh, he's not unlike those sensitive bass players. He'd probably cry. Which would be pretty ridiculous. But not any more rock and roll on my hand to make him do that.

**Tom Petersson's POV:**

I came because I'm a friend. And when friends are asked to come, it's polite to come if there's not any preventing circumstance. 

Given I don't have much to do these days, it's not like I exactly have something preventing me. And it'd be pretty low for me to lie.

Rick's here. He's been pretending to not even notice I'm here. When I look in his direction or when I'm anywhere close, he looks away from me.

Not a welcoming thing.

Robin on the other hand is pretty eager to talk to me. We're not friends as before when we were in the band together, but he did kind of force me to talk, and communication is pretty open between us. He tells me to bring over a pitcher of beer to share, and we can shoot the breeze.

So I pick one up. And as I walk to the table and see Rick turn sideways in his seat to look away from me, there's something that overtakes me and it's not something I'm too often taken by. But I am. I am mad. I am _so_ mad. And come on! This is Julian's party. To come here and act all begrudgingly, even if it's not toward Julian... It's not fair to him. And it's childish. The silent treatment is something I've decided is the most childish thing ever. It causes so many other things on top of the original problem just due to misunderstanding by lack of communication.

By golly! If he had any idea how angry I am with him right now!

As I get close, my foot catches the carpet, and I trip. I manage to keep myself from falling, but in the process of tripping, my arms instinctively fly forward to catch myself if I do, causing the pitcher to surge.

I was so angry, and it happened so fast, that I don't know if I turned that pitcher toward Rick on accident or on purpose. But I did, and the next thing I know, there's like a five foot radius of pure silence surrounding us, Robin looking shocked, myself purely horrified, and Rick with the contents of the pitcher spilled in his lap. He just looks at the spilled pitcher, himself, and me, and I have no idea what he's thinking or how he's going to react, because I don't know if he's decided what to make of it.

He's probably angry at me.

I'm blushing. I know it. My whole head feels hot, and there's this heaviness due to all the blood rushing to it. It's almost dizzying. I'm grabbing the cloth napkins off the table, trying to clean up the rest of the contents that are on the floor and table. And offering some of them to him for himself. What a complete mess! And all this stuff that was bought, this pitcher's contents all wasted...

Suddenly, Robin snorts.

He is flopped back in his chair, hand over his chest, head tilted back, laughing so hard he can barely draw a breath. 

And then, Rick gives a quiet laugh. It's just a single "heh" sound murmured under his breath. But a smirk starts to curl his mouth. And soon, he's chuckling pretty heartily as he reaches out to take the cloth squares from me.

And despite my embarrassment, and still feeling nervous, I find myself grinning, if timidly.

"Oh my goodness... Hey, I am so sorry -I totally did not mean to do that-" I start. I don't think he's mad at me, but I'd best apologize. Just in case. We haven't exactly been on the best terms anyway, so an apology doesn't hurt regardless.

"Oh, it was an accident. It's cool." Rick seems to not be angry.

That's a good sign.

Robin starts to settle down. He grins.

"Been up to much lately? Or did you have to get yourself up to trouble to find something to do?" 

Oh, Robin...

"No, not up to much, other than coming here. Something to do."

Rick turns to me, raising his eyebrows. "So, Dagmar broke it off with ya, eh? Are you figuring out how to not be taken for a ride by the ladies at least?"

The smile goes away from my lips. I've pretty much healed from that instance. It's just disappointing at this point. It's stupid is more like it.

"Seems that's a weakness of mine, isn't it? Bass player that's intuitive to most people becomes a total space cadet with women," I self scorn.

Rick snorts. "Looking at the younger bands out there, you're not the only one. That Rick Savage in Def Leppard... He's gonna land himself in some heartache even worse, I can tell."

I shake my head.

"How's your other bass player -Jon? I notice he's not here."

"He didn't seem interested in coming, nor was he invited," says Robin.

"He's not as keen on hanging out with us. And he's expressed interest in leaving," says Rick.

"What for?" I ask.

"Last album didn't do so great. I think the fans are also less enthralled with him. Interviewers avoid him when we're all together. He's kind of a background guy," explains Robin.

"Oh..."

"I've considered starting to search for another bass player at the end of this tour. Kind of hard finding a 12 string bass player though," hints Rick.

Is he asking me to come back? One minute ago he acted like he wanted nothing to do with me. Good Christ, does it take a spilled pitcher of beer to break up a cat fight and the ice between it?

"Yeah, I've noticed there aren't too many of them out there," I murmur. I don't want to jump on it. It could just be one of Rick's sarcastic jokes. A "cheap trick", if you will.

"I dunno about you two... But I'd like it if you could come back, Tom. We're thinking about doing another style change. Experimenting, and getting away from the pop sound on the last few albums," states Robin.

I try to stay neutral, but I know my eyes and overall expression kind of perked up. I always am able to tell when I do. There's just a good feeling when it happens.

"Would you guys be okay with that?" I ask, a small grin trying to grace my lips. It's the type that a person gets when they realize they're getting something back they haven't had in a long time. Something they've missed having.

"Well, if you're willing, we can try it. Maybe see how it works out," says Rick. He's still giving me a cold shoulder. But the ice has been broken through, and if we go slow, maybe our friendship can be revived. With Cheap Trick.

All I know is that if it does work out, I don't think I'll ever leave again.

Maybe wasted drinks aren't such a bad thing after all.


End file.
